At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the development of cutting-edge data science products for airline operations.
- Company: Join British Airways, a pioneering airline with over 100 years of history.
- Benefits: Enjoy amazing staff travel perks and a competitive salary.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team that values innovation and continuous improvement.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in aviation by optimising operations with advanced machine learning.
- Qualifications: Master's degree or 6+ years in data science; strong Python skills required.
The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ per year.
A career without limits. As the nation's flag carrier, we take great pride in connecting Britain with the world and the world with Britain. It's something we've been doing for over 100 years, ever since we launched the world's first international scheduled air service between London and Paris. This originality has been in our blood since day one. It's the spirit we share with the people that fly with us, our partners, and our colleagues. So, whether you are a reassuring voice on the end of a phone, a smile at the door, under a wing keeping the turbines spinning or landing us gently in far flung places, a job at British Airways is yours to make. We know great things can happen when you're inspired to think big and bring your ambition to work every day, which is why, at British Airways the sky is never the limit.
The role: Principal Product Data Scientist. You'll be part of the Operations Delivery Intelligence (ODI) directorate, working within integrated operations product squads to build and embed industrialised decision support software products. This area plays a critical role in improving operational outcomes by applying advanced machine learning and optimisation techniques to real world decision making challenges across the airline.
What you'll do:
- Act as the technical owner of one or more production grade data science product codebases
- Lead the end to end delivery of decision support software across the full product lifecycle
- Understand complex operational business problems end to end and identify opportunities for data driven optimisation
- Drive modelling and system design decisions, balancing implementation time, system behaviour, technical debt and business value
- Prototype, build and deliver industrialised machine learning and optimisation models in Python
- Design and build robust data ingestion, cleaning and processing pipelines
- Implement orchestration pipelines and CI/CD deployment processes
- Ensure software quality through logging, error handling and automated testing
- Harden algorithms against operational and data edge cases
- Quantify product adoption and value capture
- Engage with business stakeholders to gather requirements and feedback
- Contribute to feature prioritisation and roadmap discussions
- Support integration of decision support products into operational business processes
- Communicate modelling approaches, trade offs and results clearly to technical and business audiences
- Mentor and support junior team members
- Contribute to agile ways of working, including Git versioning, code reviews and delivery predictability
What you'll bring to British Airways:
- Expert capability in applied machine learning, optimisation and operational research techniques
- Strong Python expertise with experience delivering production quality data science software
- Experience working with cloud platforms and modern ML tooling
- Strong software engineering discipline including testing, CI/CD and version control
- Ability to structure complex business and technical problems and propose pragmatic solutions
- Clear communication skills across technical and non technical audiences
- Collaborative working style with a focus on continuous improvement
- Systems thinking mindset with attention to detail
- Curiosity, resilience and adaptability in fast moving environments
- Strong commitment to delivering measurable business value
Your experience:
- Master's degree or greater in data science, ML, or operational research, or 6+ years of highly relevant industry experience (required)
- 4-6 years working on production ML or optimization software products at scale (required)
- Experience in developing industrialized software, especially data science or machine learning software products (required)
- Experience in relevant business domains (transportation, airlines, operations, network problems) (preferred)
What we offer: We believe that all the people who work with us should feel valued for the part they play. It's one of the reasons our rewards go far beyond a competitive salary. From the day you join us, you'll get access to brilliant staff travel benefits including unlimited basic and premium standby tickets on British Airways flights. You'll also receive up to 30 discounted Hotline' airfares per year for yourself, friends, and family. At British Airways you'll have the chance to take on new challenges and move forward in a way that feels right for you. We encourage all those who work for us to consider opportunities right across our business to help you develop and progress. We never stand still, and we don't expect our people to either.
Inclusion & Diversity: At British Airways we all have a part to play in creating an inclusive place to work. Diverse representation among our people is really important to us and we recognise that all our colleagues are uniquely different and bring their own originality, creativity and identity to work. Inclusion and diversity is a key driver of innovation and we're committed to creating a culture where everyone feels that they can be themselves. We're looking for people from all backgrounds and cultures to join us and be a part of our journey to become a Better BA as we continue to connect Britain with the world and the world with Britain.
Lead Principal Data Scientist, Production ML for Airline Ops employer: British Airways PLC
At British Airways, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment that fosters innovation and collaboration. As a Lead Principal Data Scientist in our Operations Delivery Intelligence team, you'll not only have the opportunity to work with cutting-edge machine learning technologies but also enjoy unparalleled staff travel benefits and a commitment to your professional growth. Our inclusive culture values diversity and encourages every employee to contribute their unique perspectives, making it a truly rewarding place to build your career.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Principal Data Scientist, Production ML for Airline Ops
✨Get Involved in Data Science Meetups
Tap into local data science meetups or workshops to connect with fellow enthusiasts and professionals. These events are goldmines for networking, and sometimes even lead directly to job openings at companies like British Airways PLC!
✨Show Off Your Projects
Start building a public portfolio showcasing your data science projects on platforms like GitHub or personal websites. Highlight unique analyses or models you've developed. This not only demonstrates your skills but also gets your name out there for roles like Lead Principal Data Scientist, Production ML for Airline Ops at British Airways PLC.
✨Leverage Professional Networks
Join professional bodies related to data science, like the Data Science Society or similar organisations. Getting involved can lead to mentorship opportunities and insider knowledge about full-time positions at companies like British Airways PLC.
✨Apply Directly through Our Website
When you find a suitable opening like Lead Principal Data Scientist, Production ML for Airline Ops at British Airways PLC, make sure to apply directly through our website. It gives you an edge and shows you're keen to join our team. Plus, who doesn’t love a direct application? It’s easier than navigating through job boards!
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Principal Data Scientist, Production ML for Airline Ops
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Projects:In the world of data science, your projects can speak volumes about your skills. Make sure to showcase a few key projects in your CV or portfolio, especially those that highlight your ability to work with data sets, build models, or use relevant tools like Python, R, or SQL. Don’t forget to include links to any GitHub repositories if applicable!
Quantify Your Achievements:Employers love numbers! When drafting your CV, highlight your achievements with quantifiable results. For instance, mention how your data analysis led to a certain percentage increase in efficiency or revenue at a previous job or project. These details can really make your application pop!
Craft a Tailored Cover Letter:For a full-time role at British Airways PLC, your cover letter should reflect your passion for data science and your excitement about the specific projects or values of the company. Dive into why you’re a good fit, how your skills align with their needs, and any unique perspectives you can bring to the team.
Stand Out with Relevant Courses and Certifications:Although experience talks, relevant courses or certifications can be your ticket to impressing hiring managers at British Airways PLC. Mention any standout courses you've completed that equipped you with essential skills, such as machine learning certifications or data visualisation courses. This shows your commitment to continuously developing your skills in the field!
How to prepare for a job interview at British Airways PLC
✨Brush Up on Your Statistics
For a data science role, we need to seriously sharpen our statistics skills. Get ready to tackle technical questions on probability distributions, hypothesis testing, and regression analysis. These are often the bread and butter of data science interviews, so don't just skim over them!
✨Showcase Your Projects
Prepare a killer portfolio showcasing your data science projects. We should include details about the datasets used, the tools and techniques applied, and the impact of your findings. If we can walk them through a particularly challenging project or a cool visualisation that had real-world implications, it’ll really make us stand out!
✨Get Comfortable with Python and R
Most data science positions require us to be proficient in programming languages like Python and R. We should practice common libraries like pandas, NumPy, and scikit-learn, and be ready for live coding exercises or algorithm questions. Showing off our coding chops can really impress the interviewers at British Airways PLC!
✨Prepare for Case Studies
Expect to encounter real-world case studies during the interview. We might be asked how we’d approach a data problem or analyse a dataset to extract insights. It's essential to think out loud and demonstrate our problem-solving process so that the interviewer can see our logical thinking in action.
